It's About Time: Revised
by Ten-Thousand-Lilies
Summary: The trio get sent back in time. But after some news reaches the trio from thier time, this may not have been such a bad thing. Follow the Marauders and the trio through pranks and James' endless fight for Lily. revised version of my original story.
1. Of Really Giant Purple Rabbits

**If you read the first draft to this, you should read all of these and you'll understand. If you have no idea what I'm talking about because you found this fic by accident … then welcome to the club! And you only need to read the first paragraph. (isn't that nice?)**

**Okay, this is the deal. No offence meant to any authors out there but I have come to loath pointless authors notes. (That and I really get carried away with my own) So read this one part and I swear that I will explain everything and won't put another AN in the story unless it's very important … or very funny. **

**In keeping with that: Disclaimer- I AM NOT ORIGINAL! If you've heard of anything before than it means I have read so much and watched so much tv that all the things I've seen have been lodged into my brain and have come out in my fics because I think they're my own ideas. Seriously, none of these characters are my creation and neither is anything else you recognize!**

**So I started this story ages and ages ago, before the seventh book was out. I think I was 15 or something. But I took so long writing that I got bored with it and kinda gave up. And then when I was older and I decided to work on it again I discovered to my horror that my writing (and sense of humour) was nothing short of catastrophic. However, I insist on deluding myself into believing that my writing is better now so I am over-hauling my fic. That's right, I could probably start my own show … no one got that, that's okay.**

**On the other hand, I have to admit that a lot of parts of my first draft were pretty epic so you will probably recognize a lot of parts that I **_**will **_**keep, I mean c'mon! Lily argues with her alter-ego! How awesome is that? … Carrying on.**

**For all you fellas out there who actually thought my fic was fine start to finish to begin with … well, thanks. I will actually keep the first copy up just especially for you lot to thank you for your -misguided- support.**

**Any-hoo, in a nut shell, This is a story centering mostly around Lily and James and Harry and his lackeys going back in time to chill. This was an idea I had that was original and brilliant at the time I thought of it and became less so when I found out about the zillion others like it. But it takes place near the beginning -I guess- of the sixth book, and before I'd read the seventh.**

**Now, I'm going to post this first chapter now so you guys can see what I mean and give me your take on things. I think I might just do all the chapters and submit them all at once. But I do work full time so that might be a long wait. Or if you want I could do one or two at a time, let me know.**

**Without further ado,**

**IT'S ABOUT TIME **(see I told you my sense of humour was awful. Okay, shutting up!)

**Chapter 1: Of Purple Bunny Rabbits**

So, thought Harry darkly, this was a bit of a sticky situation he was in. Not as bad as some but still thoroughly unpleasant.

"Well you see … uhhh." Harry hesitated and gestured uselessly at the enormous purple bunny rabbit that was still glaring at him from the floor space between his best friend, himself and a … put out professor. Harry took a deep breath and tried again. "You see Professor McGonagall, he's kind of a git …"

"Be that as it may, Mr. Potter -and don't you glare at me like that Mr. Malfoy, bunny rabbit or not I am still your teacher- that is absolutely no excuse for your behaviour. Now, I do teach you transfiguration so I know beyond any doubt that you didn't achieve _this_," she jabbed her thumb angrily at Malfoy, now nibbling maliciously on a corner of Ron's trainer, "Deliberately. But don't think for a second that _either _of you" (and she shot a stern look at Ron who had retaliated by trying to trap Malfoy's floppy ears under his foot) "are getting off lightly. I don't care what he did or said to you two, this is absolutely intolerable. Twenty-five points will be taken from Gryffindor and you will both receive a weeks worth of detentions. Good night, boys."

With a curt 'good night professor' Harry and Ron exited the office with little grace. Before Ron could walk more than two steps though, Harry grasped his arm. "Ron stop. Listen." He whispered excitedly.

Ron and Harry stood silently outside the office door for several seconds before they picked up the low murmurs of their professor still inside. Through the door, Harry thought she sounded exasperated.

"Don't be silly Malfoy, get in the box!" They heard her hiss. "I must get you to the hospital wing if you wish to ever have opposable thumbs again _so get in the box!_"

"Harry," Ron grinned. "This was _so_ worth it."

* * *

"So … just _how_ did you end up turning him into … a bunny rabbit? A _purple_ bunny rabbit?"

Ron and Harry had joined Hermione at the Gryffindor table that night just on time for pudding and she was still trying to wrap her head around the whole incident.

"Da hep ib I dow." Ron mumbled around a mouthful of rhubarb crumble.

"All we've figured out Mione," Harry answered _after _he had swallowed his own dessert, "is that Ron cast a colour changing charm at the same time that I cast a fur growing jinx and … apparently what you get when you do that is McGonagall shoving Malfoy the bunny rabbit into a cardboard box." Ron almost choked as the three of them burst into peels of laughter.

"Honestly you two," Hermione gasped as she wiped tears of mirth from her cheeks. "you two are going to run out of time to do all these detentions in one year, you may have to stay the summer."

"Don't see how that's even fair considering the fact that you do just as muck damage around here as us, Mione" Ron glared playfully.

"Well Ronald," She smirked. "All I can say is that if you two listened to me more, you wouldn't get caught either."

"Shock and surprise, the solution to our problems is to listen to you." Harry muttered.

"Damn straight." Hermione said seriously. Just then, the transfiguration professor came towards them from the direction of the entrance hall. Noting the shallow but bleeding scrapes on her hands, the trio had just enough time to get control of their expressions before she reached them.

"Potter, Weasly," She all but spat. "Your detentions will take place tomorrow morning in the lowest dungeon at ten am, understood?"

"Yes ma'am." The boys murmured together, keeping their lips as straight as possible. After all, turning your classmate into a purple bunny rabbit is _very_ serious …

"So," Ron sighed after their teacher had left. "the 'lowest dungeon'?"

Harry groaned. "Yup, sounds like a party."

* * *

The following morning at quarter to ten found Ron and Harry dragging their feet towards the dungeons (but in a very enthusiastic way, I assure you.)

When they reached the right one -and they knew because it had a very distinct 'lowest dungeon' kind of smell- Professor McGonagall was waiting for them.

"Good morning boys … well it's a good morning for me anyways. For your detention today you will be putting these files into alphabetical order." She pointed to two, rather large, identical filing cabinets standing against the far wall of the dungeon, which looked to Harry and Ron to be some large barbaric and medieval storage closet of doom.

"Now, if you will excuse me I need to see Professor Flitwick about a chair that seems to think it's a goose. I expect you to be finished when I get back." With that, she left the room and closed the door firmly behind her. Harry took the cabinet on the left while Ron took the one on the right and they got to work on the long, daunting task before them.

Three agonizing hours later, Harry had finally finished his organizing. Honestly? Who the friggin' hell cared about the genealogy lines of the castle's mouse population?! He stood up, groaning as he stretched his sore back, waiting for Ron to finish up the last of his filing. Now, when Harry Potter rested his weight casually against the filing cabinet he'd just finished sorting, he did not stop to consider that the cabinet was lighter than he was, nor that there was nothing supporting it on the other side. As he put his weight on the cabinet it leaned away from him and -wouldn't you know it?- smashed into the other wall not to far away.

"Well, _crap._"

Harry regained his balance and looked at Ron. He just pointed to a shelf on the wall, which had been smashed to tiny, tiny bits by the impact of the filing cabinet. Much to Harry's grief the shelf had previously held dozens of very small hour glasses.

Time-turners.

"Well that's not good."

Wind rushing past his ears.

A severe dizziness.

Darkness.

* * *

"Are they alive?"

"I don't know."

"Let's poke 'em with a stick!"

Harry felt something hard poke into his ribs.

"Ouch!" He moaned.

"Cut it out Wormtail, I think they're waking up."

Harry opened his eyes and looked around. It was very dark so he assumed it was night. He was lying flat on his back a few feet from Ron who was still unconscious. But there were other people in the otherwise empty corridor where he lay. Four, by the sound of it (plus Ron but he doesn't count). His heart skipped several beats when he recognized the boy with glasses … and messy black hair. What the bloody hell was going on? Harry sat up and looked at Ron who was starting to stir. He kicked Ron for him to wake. His eyes opened and widened in shock when he made the same observations Harry did.

"Uh . . . you guys ok?" A tired looking guy asked. He had light brown hair and soft, wary eyes.

Harry turned to look at Ron. "You see these guys too?"

Ron nodded

"So I haven't completely lost it?"

"Afraid not."

"It's settled then." Stated Harry. "McGonagall was so mad when she found us that she hexed us both into nothingness and we are now dead."

At this point the boy Harry knew to be James Potter (a tall, devilishly good-looking boy with very untidy black hair and hazel eyes), called everyone's attention from the peculiar scene. "Guys I think that we should move if we don't want to be caught by Slughorn, who, with _impeccable_ timing, happens to be heading strait toward us." He mentioned casually.

"Well! Let's get under the cloak!" Sirius hissed. The younger Sirius Black was ever so slightly shorter than James but broader through the chest and shoulder. His chocolate brown hair fell slightly into his blue-grey eyes with an elegance that only the infamous Sirius Black could pull off.

"Yeah, but what about them?" Remus asked, pointing to Ron and Harry. "We can barely fit ourselves."

By this time Harry and Ron were on their feet.

"Don't worry," Said Harry. "We have our own."

Against all odds, Harry and Ron had planned to sneak into Hogsmead that afternoon with Hermione for some well-deserved fun and (irony? What's that?) Harry had brought his invisibility cloak along with him to his detention.

James looked closely at Harry's invisibility cloak. He had the look a wise librarian would have, while looking at a very old and interesting book

"_Very_ nice, good quality too. Looks just like mine actually. Where di-"

"Prongs! No time for chitchat. Come on!"

"Fine, I'm coming, relax Padfoot."

With that, the Marauders, Harry and Ron all disappeared under an invisibility cloak just as Slughorn came around the corner. He passed them without a second glance and they all let out a sigh of relief.

"I think that tonight's events should be cancelled due to our -er- discovery?" James Potter suggested.

"Right." Said Sirius. "We should go back to our dorm. You guys follow us and we'll get this sorted out."

Harry followed his future father, godfather, Defence against the Dark Arts professor, and enemy slowly down the familiar halls back to the Gryffindor common room.


	2. Of Really Rude Awakenings

**Chapter 2: Of Rude Awakenings**

When they had at last made their way to the portrait of a fat old lady dressed in a pink silk dress, Remus spoke the password.

"And what are you fine young men doing out of bed at this hour? No mischief surely?" Asked the Fat Lady with a raised eyebrow.

"My Lady!" Sirius gasped in mock outrage. "You very well know that our conscience would never allow us to step a single toe out of line! Lord, it's as if you imagine us to be some sort of … of …"

"Marauders?" Piped James helpfully.

The Fat Lady laughed but swung forward to let them in. Once they had all scrambled through the portrait hole, Harry looked around. Everything in the Gryffindor common room looked exactly the same as it did when he and Ron had left it that very morning.

Harry met Ron's bewildered stare with one of his own.

All six boys then proceeded up the spiral stair case and into the seventh year boy's dormitories. A dormitory, the likes of which, Harry had never seen before. Remus Lupin's bed was to the far left. It was very neat and the bed was made. To the left came James' bed. The covers were pulled up and there were piles of books and parchment here and there. After that came Sirius' bed. It was just as tidy as Remus' but the whole back wall was smothered in posters and dirty clothes lay on the surrounding floor in heaps. Peter Pettegrew's (the last of the Marauders. He was short, chubby, and had mousy brown hair with pale, watery blue eyes.) was a complete _mess_. There were clothes everywhere, old candy wrappers stuck to the unmade sheets and who knows what was underneath that bed?

Remus, Harry and Ron sat on Remus' bed while James, Sirius, and Peter all sat on James' bed across from them. There was a short, awkward silence when Harry spoke up.

"Well, I guess your wondering what we were doing lying in the middle of a disserted hallway in the dead of night, who the bloody hell we are, and where we came from?"

"Yah, that's pretty much it." Answered James seriously

"Well," Harry started hesitantly, not sure how to continue. After all, their were VERY strict laws concerning time travel. Why, the fact that he was even _seen_ could completely mess up numerous things! Harry took a moment to ponder how much trouble he would be in when he got back to his own time, with everyone always wanting to know where he was, what he was doing, and who he was with at pretty much every given moment. That is _if_ he got back.

"We can't say yet." Ron interceded suddenly. "Thanks for trusting us but until we can talk to professor Dumbledore in the morning, it's best that we don't say anything at all. It's a very long story but I can only start by telling you that our detention has turned into quite the little adventure."

"You can't tell us anything at all?" James asked with (perfectly understandable) suspicion in his voice.

"Sorry, not until we get some things sorted out. Can you trust us till morning?" Ron asked.

"Say," Sirius said frowning. "You two aren't Death Eaters are you?"

"Um … no?" Harry answered nervously.

There was a beat of silence. "Well, that's good enough for me." Sirius chirped. He sauntered over to his own bed and threw himself under his covers. "Night, all." And he was soon sound asleep.

Remus rolled his eyes but offered Harry and Ron a reassuring smile. Cushions and blankets were conjured for Harry and Ron to sleep on for the night. As everyone settled down to sleep the two had a hushed conversation.

"Harry, you do realize that we are sleeping in a dorm with your seventeen-year-old _dead_ father?"

"For one, yes I do. For second, Nearly headless Nick is right about you having the sensitivity of a blunt axe and thirdly keep it _down_ you don't want them to hear you."

"What are we going to do tomorrow? Should we tell someone about our-er-predicament?"

"We could tell the Marauders but don't you think it would creep them out a bit?"

"Not if we don't tell them everything. Just the basics and we will probably have to modify their memory when we leave anyway."

"Yah, but whatever we tell them may effect the future. There are _really _strict laws on time travel ... Hmmm"

"What?"

"How will we leave?"

"We could try busting another shelf of time-turners?"

"Wow, because _there's_ logic." Harry said sarcastically.

"Sirius is right lets talk in the morning."

"You know, technically we've only been awake for about five hours?"

"Meh, night Harry."

*

The next morning, a very pretty girl with deep red hair, fair skin, a light dusting of freckels and almond-shaped green eyes woke to a weak stream of light shining through her window. It was still early, no one would be up yet so she rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.

But she found that once again, like so many other nights that year, Lily Evans could not sleep. She lay on her back for a moment, pondering why this might be when an image sprung to the front of her mind's eye causing to remember. The image was that of a boy. A boy with untidy black hair that matched his playful personality and warm hazel eyes that you couldn't help but melt into . . .a small smile appeared on her face at the image . . . what _great_ eyes . . .

_NO! _she mentally screamed at herself, slamming her eyes shut in an effort to chase away the picture. _LILY EVENS! YOU STOP RIGHT THERE! This is POTTER your thinking about! P-O-T-T-E-R! The arrogant, ego-maniac, 'I'm so hot', POTTER! _

_But he's so dreamy … _The other, naughtier, side of her brain whispered rebelliously.

_LILY! You do NOT like Potter in any way, shape, or form!_

_But he's changed this year. He's been so great. He isn't as much of a show-off anymore. Maybe we could give him one, small, tiny, cha-_

_NO! _Her sensible thoughts stopped her naughty thoughts in their tracks. _You, the strait O, prefect, Head Girl, intelligent Lily, will not stoop so low as to go out with James!_

_Oh, so now it's "James" is it? _

_Lily, Potter is the complete opposite of your dream guy. We __vowed__ to hate him for all eternity! We used candles and everything! My part of your brain would never let you live it down! And besides, If you did go out with him he'd crush you within a month ...That's just the way he is._

Lily was roused out of her slightly unbalanced argument with herself by a strange sound coming from the common room. Well, only one group would be up at a time like this and she doubted it was for a good cause.

Lily crawled out of bed, fastening her 'head girl' badge onto her pajama tank top, descended the spiral staircase and was surprised when she discovered that the noise was not caused by the Marauders. What Lily saw before her was a very confused looking girl with bushy brown hair. As Lily stopped in surprise, the unfamiliar girl heard her and turned around.

"Do you go to this school?" Lily asked politely.

"Er-I'm Hermione Granger. Who are you?" she said, not answering her question.

"Lily Evans."

The girl paused for a moment as her eyes widened in bewilderment. After a moment she seemed to compose herself.

"I'm looking for two boys. One is tall with freckles and red hair and the other is tall with messy black hair and round glasses. Have you seen them."

"No I'm sorry. I've never met anyone with that description. Unless the second boy is James Potter."

At this moment a splash, thud, and series of bellows emitted from the seventh year boy's dormitories.

Lily walked to the foot of the boy's staircase. "Speak of the devil."

*

Harry woke up that morning and suddenly remembered where he was. He propped himself up on his elbow as his attention was caught by James, who was silently crawling out of bed and, seeing Harry wake up, pressed a finger to his lips for silence. Harry slipped on his glasses and watched as he disappeared into the joining bathroom and reappeared a short time later with a large pitcher of very cold looking water. Harry watched in horror as James slowly tipped the water over poor Sirius' sleeping form.

Sirius shot out of bed with a howl waking everyone else in the dorm and probably the dead too for that matter.

"PRONGS I WILL KILL YOU!" Sirius screeched.

But it was no use. James was now rolling on the floor absolutely roaring with laughter, as were Harry and Ron. Remus was smiling and shaking his head sympathetically while Peter just slept on. Sirius was now cursing very loudly and fluently.

"Pad-Padfoot . . . your-your face . . . it was pri-priceless." James choked out through his laughter.

James, Ron and Harry would have continued laughing like morons but they stopped due to a sudden loud knocking on the door. Harry got up to answer.

"Potter! What on Earth are- Since when did you get glasses?" Lily stopped as she saw Harry answer the door. "Wait ... Potter has hazel eyes with gold near the iris. Your not Potter. Wow . . . freaky."

"Hey Prongs! Guess who's here?" Remus called over to a still laughing and oblivious James.

At this point James stood up so quickly he knocked over an approaching Sirius without even noticing, and looked at Lily.

"Oh! Hi Evens." James ruffled his hair nervously. " So, what brings you to our humble abode so early in the morning?"

She giggled. "I heard a disturbance" They all looked over to Sirius who had gotten up and was now wringing out his socks. "Your doing I suppose?" She said looking back to James who was now grinning.

_OH …MY…GOD! Lily Evens. __**The **__Lily Evens. The Lily Evens that you have loved for like, the past six years is standing in your dormitory in all her glory. Man is she pretty!_

_And she actually __**giggled!**__ …Not sarcastically! _James' dangerously unbalanced brain answered it's own thought.

_Wow. Look at the way her hair shines in the sunlight. She smiles with a radiant passion that burns with the fiery power of a thousand suns!_

_NO! Snap out of it before she thinks your staring! _

_Dude, I __**am **__staring…_

_Well? Quick! Say something witty and funny that will make her fall head over heals for you! OH! Insult Snivilly. That's always funny!_

_NO! What are you thinking? She hates it when you do that! The weather?_

_Dude! No! Just …arg! No! Anything! __**Anything **__but the weather!_

_I could just…tell the truth…I guess…_

_Er…o.k.? _

"I really couldn't resist. He looked so peaceful!"

_Did it work?_

Lily burst out laughing. She had never laughed at any of what she called 'Potters little jokes' before, not out loud at least. It was strange. Last year she would have rolled her eyes and stomped out of the room, but instead of finding James' jokes stupid and irritating she was starting to find them clever and highly amusing.

Everyone of the Marauders looked on in shock. To find Lily Evens not scowling in the presence of James was one thing, but actually laughing? Remus was seriously wishing he had a camera! James had a disbelieving look on his face.

_It actually worked?_

_Well, she's laughing._

_O.K. this strategy is __**definitely **__a keeper!_

Lily caught their expressions. "Oh, come on then! I'm not made of stone." She said defensively as she tried to stiffle her chuckles. She turned to Sirius. "Sorry Black, but the expression on your face was absolutely priceless."

"Hey Evens? Why are you up so early?" James was looking past her at Hermione.

"I was just going to take Mss. Granger to Dumbledor's office. I found her in the common room. What?" She added for James looked like a light bulb had just lit up over his head.

"We were out on an entirely legitimate expadition last night and came across some strangers ourselves."

At this point Hermione caught sight of Harry and Ron.

"HARRY! RON! WHAT THE BLOODY BLEEDING HELL HAPPENED!" She stormed into the dorm room, slapped them both across the face and then pulled them into a bone crushing hug. "I hope you know what you put us through. Mrs. Weasley wanted to send Aurors out looking for you! Imagine our horror when both of you disappear into thin air! And YOU Harry! Of all people! (Hermione was talking very fast) I was always under the impression that danger sought you out. BUT NO! You go out and give it your bloody phone number and home address, don't you?! What were you thinking? Vanishing! We were all having kittens over you! You! And wouldn't it be a fine thing if the Death Eaters got their hands on you! And YOU!" She had turned to Ron with a scowl that would have had Fred and George running for cover before anyone had time to blink. "YOU letting him! Do you have any idea how many people want Harry dead! I'll give you a hint, it's more than one! How could you have let him do something so careless? If something had happened to him the world as we knew it would have been over! The prophecy would have been completely useless to us! _He _would win for sure!"

"Well Hermione, " Harry spoke up bravely, "it's not like we meant to come here and who was it again who was going to meet up with us after detention to sneak into Hogsmead?" Harry looked around the room. Everyone was staring at the trio with great interest. He lowered his voice to almost a whisper. "This is not the time to be talking about this anyway."

Hermione then noticed everyone's eyes upon them and blushed. "yes, well ... umm."

Lily sensed her discomfort and cleared her throat. "Perhaps the head boy and girl should take you to Dumbledor." She looked at James pointedly for a moment. "Yes, Potter that's you."

"Oh! Right then, lets go." James stammered. And the five of them filed out of the Marauder's dormitory.


End file.
